PDF version Dave Thoma
5118 Frost Ave
Carlsbad, CA. 92008
760.717.9039

RESUME

"It's not about technology...it's about RESULTS."

As a highly motivated manager, I possess a proven history of successful endeavors and have been fortunate to work with five profitable dot.com companies, which utilize the 3C’s (content, community and commerce). My background includes extensive experience in the management of custom web development projects, with a heavy emphasis on new business development and eCommerce implementations.

SUMMARY

  • 26 years experience leading successful software development projects and eCommerce implementations.
  • 11 years experience participating in .COM start-ups or creating Internet retail channel for brick and mortar companies. Have had the good fortune to have worked with several  profitable .COMs including Amazon.
  • Enjoys implementing low-cost viral marketing strategies to drive customer acquisition (PPC, SEO, SEM)
  • Strong strategic and tactical planner responsible for business development initiatives as well as functional and project plans.
  • Communicates well both verbally and through written communication to people at all levels of the orgizantion.

EXPERIENCE:

E-Business Consultant

Thoma Consulting
December 2007 - present
Carlsbad, California

Selected Contributions:

  • Partner in ElectricalDiscounters.com which deploys an SEO optimized storefront of electrical supplies for B2C & B2B marketplace. Utilizes Omniture’s Site Catalyst and Search Center to track user interaction for its 96k products and 220k PPC ads.
  • Successfully implements Endeca InFront technology as the eCommerce replacement for a nationwide multi-channel retailer.
    • Shopping cart conversion rates double and the average order size increases 27%.
    • Introduces an enhanced PPC strategy which decreases customer acquisition cost by 14%.
    • SEO optimized pages result in an increase in natural search traffic of 3M monthly and low cost SEM strategies increase new visitor acquisition by 2.5M monthly.

Senior Program Manager

Invitrogen
December 2005 - 2007
Carlsbad, California

Selected Contributions:

      • Replaces Google search appliance with FAST Search's guided search and navigation (ESP):
      • Increases gross revenue $50M year 1 and has positive ROI in 6 weeks.
      • Reduces "zero results found" by 80+%.
    • Day Communiqué 4 content management software:
      • Reduces content management time to market from 40 hours to 2 hours.
      • Distributed toolset allows for subject matter experts to manage and maintain their own content, and not IT.
      • Implements search engine optimized pages (SEO) increasing the number of pages the search engines can index by 400%.

Vice President of Information Technologies & E-Business

Outreach, Inc
November 2002 - December 2005
Vista, California

Selected Contributions:

  • Leads replatforming of the storefront using Endeca InFront technology which:
    • Implements guided search and navigation which results in increases shopping cart conversion by 53%, a 42% increase in online orders, an 80% decrease in technical maintenance.
    • Reorganizes product merchandising resulting in an increase in average order size of 17% and empowered subject matter experts to manage merchandise on a daily basis rather than quarterly.
    • Improves the Outreach.com brand (before and after)
  • Implements a formalized software development process, establishing a known and repeatable process throughout the enterprise to manage the rapid development of new IT projects. This resultes in a 90% decrease in defects and eliminated 2.5 “man years” of wasted labor Year 1.
  • Introduces new websites such as ThePassionOutreach.com, OutreachMediaGroup.com, ChurchPlants.com, NationalOutreachConvention.com, ImpactSites, OutreachComedy.com and OutreachEvents.com, as well as re-branding efforts for Outreach.com and OutreachTraining.com.
  • Supervises 12 staff members in Technical Operations, Software Development and E-Business departments.
  • Consolidated three server farms into one and implemented a “zero-maintenance initiative” which improved service up-time and availability from 98.7% to 99.999%. This initiative reduces maintenance by 600+ hours annually.
  • Realigned the goals and objectives of the IT department with those of the organization.
  • Reduces department’s annual maintenance burden from 87% to 22% over a three-year period by improving system design and streamlining operation procedures.

Director of Interactive Services

Pastors.com
December 2000 - August 2002
Foothill Ranch, California
  • Increases revenue by 300% over a four-month period utilizing low-cost viral marketing efforts, resulting in sustained corporate profitability.
  • Designs weekly content and community-building events, resulting in a 150% increase in page views and 26% increase in customer satisfaction over the course of one year.
  • Improves online ordering capabilities, yielding an increase in online orders from 15% to 90%.

Director of Interactive Services

iBelieve.com
June 1998 - October 2000
Grand Rapids, Michigan (based in San Diego office)
  • Oversees all online efforts, including eCommerce, merchandising, cross-promotion strategy, content management and development of interactive toolsets.
  • Manages three direct reports and corporate relationship with Anderson Consulting (Accenture) to implement its “so-called” content management and eCommerce systems.
  • Negotiates 17 strategic partnerships, including Willow Creek Association, Hallmark, DaySpring Greeting Cards and seven nationally recognized publishers.

Founder / President / CEO

ClassiFIND Network, Inc.
February 1996 - March 1998
San Diego, California
  • Raises $3M in capital within 90 days from various angel-funding sources.
  • Early ASP provider supporting 55,000 online affiliates.
  • As company spokesperson, responsible for audio/video/hard copy interviews, press junkets, press releases, and industry panel discussions.
  • Assembles a world-class software development team in less than four months, producing the largest online classified advertising site in the world by 1998. (Larger than eBay or Craigslist)
  • Supervises six direct reports (50+ staff members total) with heavy emphasis in Information Technology and software development.
  • Achieves the company’s single largest sales contract (3,620 licensees), generating a 250% increase in gross revenue during the first quarter 1998 and an estimated two-year increase of 400%.
  • Establishes personal and strategic relationships with Microsoft, Intel, Real Networks, Yahoo, Multi-Ad Services, Amazon.com, City Search, Homes.com, lnxsys Broadcast, Rent Net, and Auto-by-Tel.
  • Personally increases the classified ad base by 40%, distribution by a multiple of 2,300, and brought increased media exposure and credibility to a young company.

Internet Marketing Consultant

Thoma Consulting
May 1995 - March 1996
Carlsbad, California

Founder / President

Medcomm
February 1993 - March 1995
Del Mar, California
  • Autmoates Pharmaceutical Recovery Program, which reduced bad debt of participating hospitals by $250,000 annually. Utilizes Visual FoxPro, FoxPro, and proprietary software.
  • Leads software development team which streamlines data management, which increased productivity by 65% and raised data accuracy rate from 94% to 99.8%.

Information Technologies Manager

StrongCo Products
October 1989 - November 1993
San Marcos, California
  • Directs three-person software/firmware development team in the design of a custom software project, which regulates manufacturing assembly control and producing hard dollar savings of $1.1M annually.

Software Development Manager (July 1985 - August 1989)

SDFM, Inc.
March 1980 - August 1989
San Marcos, California
  • Manages 4 person software development team which creates inventory management software and is responsible for creating $52.1M in new revenue over a three year period.
  • Reduces perishable loss by 30% due to superior inventory tracking and predictive sales forecasting.
  • Integrates with Ford Motor Credit’s Ask Manman ERP system for time share computing.

EDUCATION:

University of Phoenix

Major: Business Administration & Computer Information Systems

AWARDS:

  • Named in 1997 MicroTimes Top 100 Online Leaders as a result of achievements within the industry.
  • Awarded three Best of Show Awards for use of SQL, ASP and Transaction Server at the 1997 Microsoft World Summit in Orlando, FL, resulting in "Channel Partnership" with Microsoft. Consequently, ClassiFIND's services were showcased to more than 6,000 Microsoft employees and consultants.
  • 1992 StrongCo Employee of the Year.

PERSONAL:

  • I have a wonderful wife of 17 years and three children ages 15, 14 and 12.
  • Enjoy playing golf, softball and playing at the beach with my family.